Key holder



May 29, 1951 H. R. CUNINGHAM 2,554,817

KEY HOLDER v Filed Jan. 7, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. flw/ Fan; 6 u/w/vay/z/w au 5 M Patented May 29, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs KEY HOLDER Hugh RossCuningham, Houston, Tex.

Application January-7, 1948, Serial No. 843

4 Claims.

- 1 I My present invention relates to a holder for keys and more particularly to a holder in which the keys are held in position by a holding element which when moved to release an individual key permits the latter to swing into position for use.

In my invention the keys are held enclosed between a pair of walls and each key is pivoted in such a way that a shank may swing from a position between the side walls outwardly to an exposed position in which it may be inserted into a lock. The keys are individually retained between the walls of the holder or container by a pivoted retaining element. When the retaining element of any individual key is swung to released position a spring acting on a yoke causes the key to swing outwardly to position for use, the other keys in the holder or container remaining undis turbed in their position in the holder. When the key is to be returned it is rotated against the action of the spring and the retaining element is then spring pressed to hold the key in positionwithin the holder.

The retaining element may be marked to identify the individual key. This enables the key holder to act as a finder, it being only necessary to release an appropriately marked retaining element and the indicated key will thenswing automatically into position for use. The key is at all times held in fixed pivoted position keeping it free from rattling. The holder may accommodate flat keys of different sizes and dimensions.

The various features of my invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a side view of a key hold-er showing a key released in position for use;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the key partly released;

Fig. 3 is a view of the various elements of the holder spaced in separated position but otherwise in the same relative positions they occupy;

Fig. 4 is a section of the holder taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing two keys in re: leased position;

Fig. 6 is an edge view of the key holder.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the holder comprises a pair of spaced side walls I0 and II between which the various elements of the holder are contained. The walls I0 and I I may be held in spaced position by any suitable means. As shown in the accompanying drawings they are spaced by a pair of internally threaded hollow bosses or projections I2 and. I3 in spaced relation on the plate In and a pair of corresponding screws I4 and I5 the trunnions I6 and I] when the plates are secured by means of the bosses I2 and I3 and screws I4 and IS. The trunnions I6l9 are-of less height than the spacing bosses I2 and I3 and provide sufficient space between their" opposed ends for spacing washers 20 and 2| which have projecting pins 22 and 23 respectively to be inserted into the hollow recesses of the trunnions IB--I9.'

Fig. 5.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown four keys may be thus mounted in the holder but it will be understood that the holder may be modified to accommodate a greater or less number of keys.

Each key is provided with one of a number of retaining elements 26, 21, 28 and 29 pivotally mounted on the respective tr unnions l6, I1, I8 and I9. Each of the retaining elements comprises a plate 30 pivoted on its respective trunnion fiat against the inner surface of its respec tive side wall III or II. The plate 30 has an arcuate slot 3| through which passes the spacing boss I2 or I3, Fig. 5, so as 'to permit a limited swing of the retaining element on its respective trunnion from the position shown in Fig. 4 to' that shown in Fig. 5.

On the outer edge the plate 30 is provided with a flange 32 which extends over the edge of its respective side wall It or I I and is then turned inwardly to form an extension 33 lying flat against the outer surface of the wall. On this extension a suitable identifying mark or word may be imprinted as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Also mounted on the respective trunnions I6I9 are key operating elements or yokes 34,,

35, 36 and 31. Each yoke or stirrup has a pair of side straps 38 and 39 having a connecting web 48. Each yoke or stirrup is so positioned that it may swing outwardly and in swinging Each individual key is thereby held on' its respective trunnion between a side wall and one face of the spacing washer 20 or 2|. It is" free to swing from a position between the walls- It and II as shown for the two keys 24" and 25'; Fig. 4, to a position free of the walls as shown' in will engage and throw outwardly its respective key as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Each yoke is urged or pressed to the outward position by means of a spring as, for example by the coiled springs 4|, 42, 43, and 44, one end of which is secured to one of the yokes or stirrups 3431 and the other end of which is secured to the plate mounted on the opposite trunnion. For this purpose each of the plates 30 of the retaining elements may vbe provided with an up-struck hook 45. tension thus tending to urge its respective yoke or stirrup outwardly and to pull the corresponding retaining plate inwardly.

It will be noted, as shown in Fig. 4, that the moment arm of the spring on the plate is greater than on the yoke 34 and, therefore, in this position the retainer will hold the key within the holder against the action of the spring on 'the yoke.

When the retaining element .21 .is swung to the position in Fig. 5 it reaches .a point beyond the ends of the corresponding key 24 which is then free to swing under the influence of the spring 42 and yoke 34. The spring will thereupon ,kick the key to a position where it can be 2115.611.

It will be noted that the outward swinging of the retainer 21 initially puts a greater tension on the spring 42 and increases its moment arm on the yoke 34. When the key has been released ;the retainer may swin inwardly unless held open. After use the key may be swung inwardly into retaining position against the action -of the yoke 34, the retainer 2'! being held open, and then upon release of the retainer the latter will swing to closed position holding the key firmly within the holder. ,In the holder of my invention each key is, therefore, held securely in its place and does .not tend to :rattle. Any key that is flat enough to lie in its place between the walls of the container and has an opening through which a trunnion l6l9 may be inserted may be held in the container. The container may be made flat having a thickness greater than the keys by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the walls and plates, which may be made relatively thin. The corners of the side walls may be rounded or cut away as at 46 to avoid sharp edges, the retainers being also similarly shaped. The side walls may also be notched inwardly, as at 41, to receive the end flanges 32 and to permit them to lie fiat against the edges of the side walls. This enables the container to have a smooth outer surface. The opposite edges of the plates 30 of the retaining elements may be inclined for greater strength of attachment to the edge flanges 32 so that the latter may 'be 'long enough to-accommodate keys of a wide variety of lengths without'interfering one with the other.

To assemble or mount the keys in the container the screws 14 and I5 are removed whereuponthe wall Il may be lifted away from the wall -I0 carrying with it the elements mounted on the trunnions l8 and I9. The spacers 20 and 2| may then be removed and keys mounted on the respective trunnions Iii-I9 and the various parts replaced in their original position and securedby .the screws l4 and [-5.

When a particular key is to be used it will be necessary only to fiip open the corresponding retainer element which, as shown in Figs.

Each of the springs 4|44 is under 1 and 2, may be suitably marked, whereupon this key will sprin into position for use. To

replace the key within the container or holder invention, what I .side walls, means to hold said side walls in spaced position, a pair of trunnions on the inner side of each "side wall projecting toward the trunnions of the opposite wall, a spacer between the ends of each pair of opposed trunnions, a key yoke pivotally mounted on each said trunnion to engage a key on said trunnion to swing said key toward one edge of the space between said walls, key retainers, one pivotally mounted on each trunnion to retain a key on the other trunnion of its respective wall and springs, one for each retainer, tensioned between its retainer and the yoke on the other trunnion of its wall.

'2. The container of claim 1 in which the-means to hold said side walls in spaced position comprises a pair of spaced internally threaded bosses on one side wall and screws through the opposite wall threaded into said bosses.

3. The container of claim 1 in which each said key retainer comprises a plate lying against the inner surface of its side wall and an end flange extending over less than one-half the space between said walls and over a portion of the outer face of its respective wall.

4. A key container which comprises a pair of closely spaced side walls each of said walls having a pair of trunnions opposed to those of the other 'wall, one of said walls having a pair of internally threaded hollow bosses extending to the other wall and said other wall having openings aligned with said bosses, a pair of screws, one headed in each of said openings and threaded into the respective boss, spacers between the opposed trunnions of said walls, key retaining plates, one pivotally mounted on each of said trunnions on opposite sides of said spacer, each plate having a flange extending over the edge of one wall and toward the median plane of the space between said walls, key yokes, one pivotally on each said trunnion on opposite sides of the respective spacers to swing toward the edge of the space between said walls covered by the retainer plates on the opposite trunnion of each respective wall, and springs, one for each yoke tensioned between the yoke and the retaining plateo'f the trunnion of the same wall.

HUGH ROSS CUNINGHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

